1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle and, more particularly, to a buckle that is manufactured with ease at a low cost.
2. Related Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional buckle 1 includes a handle 3 pivotally installed on a base 2. The base 2 includes two walls 11, a cross member 10 formed between the walls 11 and a jaw 12 formed between the walls 11. The jaw 12 is perpendicular to the cross member 10. The jaw 12 is formed with a plurality of teeth 13 on a side. A bar 6 is fit in an aperture defied in each of the walls 11 for supporting the jaw 12. The base 2 defines two openings 8 and 9 separated by the cross member 10.
The handle 3 includes a cam 14 and a touch portion 17 extending from the cam 14. The cam 14 is formed with a plurality of teeth 15. A tunnel 16 is defined in the cam 14.
An elastic element 5 includes a middle portion 18 and two lateral portions. Each of the lateral portions of the elastic element 5 includes a helical portion 19 and an end 20 extending from the helical portion 19. The end 20 of each of the lateral portions of the elastic element 5 may be in the form of a hook.
A shaft 4 is inserted in an aperture defined in each of the walls 11, the helical portions 19 of the elastic element 5 and the tunnel 16 of the cam 14 so that the base 2, the handle 3 and the elastic element 5 are joined. A gap is defined between the jaw 12 of the base 2 and the cam 14 of the handle 3. The ends 20 of the elastic element 5 are located against the cross member 10 of the base 2 while the middle portion 18 of the elastic element 5 is located against the touch portion 17 so that the elastic element 5 tends to pivot the handle 3 from the base 2.
A strap or belt is directed in the gap defined between the jaw 12 of the base 2 and the cam 14 of the handle 3 through the openings 8 and 9. The strap is clamped between the jaw 12 of the base 2 and the cam 14 of the handle 3.
The base 2 and the handle 3 are made of zinc-aluminum alloy in an extrusion process. A lot of material is used to form the base 2 and the handle 3. The base 2 and the handle 3 are thick and heavy. Furthermore, such zinc-aluminum alloy is soft so that the rigidity of both of the base 2 and the handle 3 is inadequate. Moreover, a lot of energy is consumed to heat and melt such zinc-aluminum alloy. In addition, it takes a long period of time for the base 2 and the handle 3 to cool down before they can be subject to finishing. Hence, the throughput is low. Furthermore, it costs a lot of money to develop molds for molding the base 2 and the handle 3.
Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.